As per an agreement, BorgWarner is to deliver its turbochargers for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The twin turbo in question is the largest passenger car turbocharger in the world.
The turbos will be coupled with GM’s 5.5-liter flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine, producing 1,064hp and 828 lb-ft of torque (1,122Nm) in the Corvette ZR1. According to BorgWarner, GM’s decision to select its twin ball-bearing turbochargers was influenced by BorgWarner’s involvement in the NTT IndyCar Series.
The turbo features a 76mm forged milled compressor wheel with ported shroud and a 67mm turbine wheel inside a mono scroll turbine housing for maximum efficiency. The turbocharger integrates an exhaust manifold with equal-length runners to amplify engine performance and sound.
“We are proud to secure this contract and support General Motors in making the most powerful Corvette ever built. This technology has been in the works for some time now and to see it come to fruition is both exciting and fulfilling,” said Dr Volker Weng, vice president of BorgWarner Inc. and president and general manager of turbos and thermal technologies.
Thanks to a compressor-mounted blade pass speed sensor, Chevrolet can monitor the turbo’s operation, helping to achieve the best performance without compromising its health. The turbo also makes use of a patented decoupled ball-bearing system for faster response time while limiting noise transmission and maximizing durability.
Designed and manufactured in the US, these turbochargers can withstand extremely high temperatures with zero-clearance heat shielding on the turbine housing to improve thermal efficiency. The turbochargers also feature an electronically actuated wastegate system for anti-lag calibration.
In homage to NASA’s Project Gemini missions in the 1960s and the astronauts’ relationship with the Corvette, the turbochargers feature a small Gemini rocket insignia cast on the face.
